cellphone caprice

i really love the music to this animation. there are a lot of synesthetic sequences that are really neat. i also just like the choreography of the characters, specifically the lonely pig that flips its phone open waiting for her sweet pork to call her. it's smart and quite telling of our dependency on cellphones and how it affects everyday living.

happy september

i love dancing cats. totally dumb.
simple technique, simple aesthetic -- nice and clean and silly.

MEG - Precious @ Yahoo! Video

found on cuteoverload.com

reminded me of this video. it's something along the same lines, except more complicated and less cats:

gez fry can draw. so can you.

just read an article about Gez Fry, a London native who really wanted to do japanese-style illustration. initially, he wanted to be a diplomat, but he changed his mind (i know what that's like, heh). so with no art background whatsoever, this guy locked himself in his room for 2 years and learned how to draw.. and draw super well. he gets a lot of jobs from the UK and the States, but he's determined to make it big in Japan, which is extra hard for foreigners. i have to admire this guy for his talent and his drive and his big dream.

here's the full article from pingmag:
http://pingmag.jp/2006/06/02/how-japanese-style-illustration-works/

more weird japanese stuff

first adorable. then funny. then super strange.

pizza-la

shared by ish.
everyone: thank you, ish!

Urawaza: Secret Everyday Tips & Tricks from Japan

i picked this up at the paper source yesterday. the cover pretty much says it all. there are some really interesting solutions in here that are inventive and innovative, i.e., picking up broken glass with a piece of bread and wearing wet socks to lower a fever – that's them being smart. not only does it give you the answers but it also gives brief explanations as to why their way works – that's you getting smarter! oh boy, i love learning!

because i am a design nerd (in this sense, print design), i just need to say that the layout is a bit obnoxious – the print is all red and everything is relatively the same weight. it's just annoying to read for a long time. what about that sick green as an accent throughout? huh?? okee. off soap box.